1952 FAI Cup final

A close match was expected, with Cork expected to shade it, due to their cup pedigree and the relative inexperience of Dundalk's side.[4] However Dundalk believed luck was on their side, owing to the manner of their semi-final replay win over Waterford.[2] Cork had the better of the opening half, and took the lead in the second half through Paddy O'Leary, but an injury to goalkeeper Ned Courtney, and sustained Dundalk pressure, resulted in an equaliser for Joe Martin in the 87th minute, to send the final to a replay the following Wednesday evening.[5]

Cork's preparations for the replay were affected when a club director, James Lynch, had to appear in court in the days after the final, charged with attempted murder.[6] A number of club officials and players had to give evidence in the case. Courtney was missing due to the injury received in the first game, which also seemed to impact the Cork team, as Dundalk took the lead in the second minute through Johnny Fearon, Dundalk's only survivor from the 1949 cup-winning team. Cork fought their way back into the match, but Dundalk goalkeeper Walter Durkan was relatively untroubled and the game was put beyond doubt in the 67th minute by a Fergus Maloney shot from distance. In the 83rd minute Paddy Mullen made it 3–0, to win Dundalk's third FAI Cup.[7]